Make-up post



.' l 644 862 7 w. c. TROUT MAKE-YUP POST 4 Filed Sept. 28, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 w lt gnvmd 01,

1927; w. c. TROUT MAKE-UP POST File'd Sept. 28. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 11, 1927.

UNlTE. SEA? VAL-TEE Q. TROUT, 0:5 LUFKIN, TEXAS.

MAKE-U? POST.

Application filed September 28, 1926. Serial No. 138,171.

My invention relates to make-up posts to be employed in rotary well drilling in making up or breaking out the joints of the pipe or drill stem. It is adapted particularly for use with the socalled double table rotary wherein there is a central table and an outer annular table separately rotatable relative to the central table.

In the use of a make-up post the pipe and central table in which it is secured are held stationary while the outer table, is rotated. The pipe tongs which is secured to thepipe joint has its handle engaged against the post upon the outer table so that the rotation of the outer table will carry the wrench around to screw up the joint. The tongs are rotated about the pipe until the joint is tight and must then be disengaged from the joint.

As the handle of the tongs is forcibly held by the post, it is difficult to release the tongs without hammering the same to loosen them by means of a hammer or a maul.

It is an object of my invention to provide a post to engage the handle of the pipe tongs, the tong engaging member being adapted to move downwardly relative to the handle and release the pipe tong so that it may be removed from the pipe without diiliculty. It

is desired that the pipe engaging post be mounted resiliently so that it may be driven downwardly away from the handle with little difficulty.

It is also an object to provide upon the post a tong supporting arm which may support the pipe tongs in inoperative or operative position, as may be desired, so that it will not be necessary to suspend them in the derrick, as is now customary.

Various other details of construction included in the structure of my improved postwill be noted from the specification which follows.

Referring to the drawing herewith, Fig, l is a side view partly in central vertical section illustrating my improved post. Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a side elevation, and Fig. 4 is a central section of a slightly different embodiment of'the post. Like numerals of reference are employed to designate like parts in all the views.

In the construction of my improved post, I have provided a central tubular body member 1, the lower end of which is adapted to receive the upper end of a short post 2 adapted to fit within an opening in a rotary table,

provide a lever 13 of hell crank type.

not shown; Thebody member 1 'into'which the post 2 projects has opposite slots indicated in dotted lines at 8 and the post 2 has a pin 4 diametrically of the post and proj ecting through the slots?) in the body member. At a point spaced above the normal upper end of the post 2 the body member has a transverse diaphragm 5 closing the passage through the said member. Said diaphragm furnishes a bearing for the upper end of a spiral spring 6 which bears at its lower end against the post 2. It is underv slight compression so that the post may have a movement longitudinally within the body .mem- F ber limited by the length of the slot 3, as will be obvious.

Above the diaphragm 3 the central diam eter is somewhat decreased to provide a channel 7 in which the lower end of a pin 8 may fit. Said pin has a radial flange 9 at its lower end which is of the proper diameter to fit loosely in the channel 7. Between the flange 9 and the upper tubular nut 10 is a spiral spring 11 which tends normally to throw the pin 8 downwardly in the channel.

The nut 10 is secured within the upper end of the body member, the central opening there-through furnishing a support for the pin 8.

The upper end of the post is flared radially therefrom and on one sideis extended to form a supporting plate 12 for the handle of the wrench.

In order to support the pin 8 in position, projecting from the upper end of the post, I It is pivoted at 14 upon a pin 15 supported with in two laterally projecting legs 16 on the upper end of the post body. The upper arm 17 of the lever projects inwardly through a slot 18 in the side of the channel 7. Its inner end has a rounded cam portion 19 which bears against the lower end of the head '9 of the pin 8. The lower arm of the lever has a handle 20 which, when depressed to throw the pin 8 upwardly, may be received within laterally projecting latch members '21 upon the'side of the post body.

At the lower end of the body 1, I may secure a plurality of laterally projecting legs or supports 22 which may engage with stop members on the rotary table to prevent rota-' tion of the post in use. p

In Figs. 2 and 3, it will be noted that 1 may provide upon the side ofthepost a jointed forming a support for the pipe ill) tongs. This arm comprises an. outer section 23 having a collar 24 at its outer end through which may be secured a pivotal sup the 26 to a second or middle section 27 which is in turnsu-pp rted at its other end upon a. pin 28 projecting through laterally supporting brackets 29 formed upon the upper end of the post. As will be noted, this jointed. arm allows the wrench support to be swung toward or away from the post and when it is swung away from the post so as to bring the wrench into position to engage the pipe, the handle of the tongs will be inposition to rest upon thesu pportingplate l2 and bear against the pin 8.=

In theuse of this device the post will be placed within an opening in the outer annular table of the rotary and the pipe whose joints are to 'be screwed up is secured within the central table of the rotary. The arm upon which the tongs is supported will then be swung around to bring the tongs in pipe engaging position and the rotary moved to bring the handle of. the tongs against the pin 8. The rotary may then be rotated to screw up the joint and when the joint is tightlyscrewed together, the latch. .21 may be released from the handle 20,015 the lever 13, allowing the lever to befiswung upwardly and releasing the pin 8. The action of. the spring 11. will beto draw the pin downwardly away from. in. front of. the wrench handle,-thus allowing the handle to. be moved forwardly so as to release the jaws from the pipe without .further. difliculty. The handle 2.0 may then .be thrown back. and latchedin position with the pin 8 projectingupwardly to engage .the handle of the wrench in. the next. unscrewing action. It isto. be noted thatwhen the joint is being screwed. up or. unscrewed, the loosening of the joint will carry the joint upwardly with the wrench secured-thereto. thesspring (i is .to allow the lengthening or shortening of, the .post as the joint is unscrewed or screwed up, as the case maybe. ;.Ini Fig. 4 I. have shown a post ofmuch simpler. constructionfi, which .may be employed either as a break out post. or make up post. It has a central tubular body. 1,v the lower. end of. which telescopes over a post 2, as in the previous, embodiment. @At the upper. end-of the body .memberhthe .central channel 7 is of smaller diameter to receive a pin 8. Said pin has a lower. head 9 ,;and

between the head 9, and the upper end of the post 2' is aspiral supporting spring 3. At one side of the body of the post a The action of ing flange being slightly curved upwardly toward the center.

In the use of this device, the handle of the tongs will be engaged with the post 8 while the joint. is being manipulated, and

when it is desired to release thetongs a hammer or maul may be used to drive the post 8 downwardly against the actionot' the spring 30 so that the handle of: the wrench maybe released. The pin 8 will be automatically drawn back into tong engag ing post as soon as the wrench handle has passed. V 1 r The advantages of this. type of post will be apparent. It may through the supporting arm 27 thereon support the pipe tongs in position adjacent the pipe so that the said tongs may be easily handled. The releasable pin 8 at the upper end. of the post hasan advantage over the ordinary type, of post in that it may be released without difficulty or without any rough use, such as may be necessary in the usual type of post.

Having thus described my invention,

.what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is: j

l. A post of the character described, comprising a resiliently mounted body member, a tong engaging pin .slidable in said member and means to resiliently retract said pin from tong engaging position, when desired.

2. A post of the characterdescribed, comprising a tubular body member, *means to secure the same to arotary table, a, tong engaging pin projecting from the upper end of said body member, means to. hold the said pin. in tong engaging; positiomand means operating when said holding means is released to withdraw said pin from tong engaging position. 3.. A post of the character described, comprising a tubular body member, a post. telescoping. therein, means resiliently support ing said body member on said post, a tong engaging pin at the upper end of said body member, and means to withdraw saidpin from tong engaging position, when desired.

tong engaging postof the character descrlbedincludin'g a tubular body member, a post telescoping within said body member,

-means seated on the upper end of said post to resiliently. support the body member on said post, means to limit the movement of the body. member relativeto said .post, and vertically. slidable means at the .upper end 01 said body member to engage the handle of the pipe tongs.

5111 a post of the character. described, a tubular body member, a post telescoping therein, means to prevent rotation of said body member, a tong engaging pin at the upper end of sald post, and-releasable means to hold said pin in tong engaging position.

6. In a post of the character described, a tubular body member, a post telescoping within the lower end thereof, a tong engagmg pin pro ecting shdably from the upper end thereof, and means allowing the retracting of said tong engaging pin.

7. In a post of the character described, a

tubular body member, a tong engaging pin at the upper end thereof, a jointed arm at the upper end of said body member and tong supporting means on said arm and said body member. 7

8. In a post of the characterdescribed, an upright tubular body member a jointed arm secured at the upper end thereof, tong supporting means on said arm, a tong engaging pin at the upper end of said tubular member, and means to withdraw said pin from tong engaging position.

9. In a post of the character described, an upright tubular body member, a resilient support therefor, a tong-engaging member slidable in the upper end of said body memher, and means to Withdraw said tong-engaging member Within said body member.

10. In a post of the character described, an upright tubular body member, a resilient support therefor, a tong-engaging member slidable in the upper end of said body member, means to hold said tong-engaging member in tong-engaging position, and means to Withdraw said tong-engaging member Within said body member.

11. In a post of the character described, an upright tubular body member, a resilient support therefor, a tong-engaging member slidable in the upper end of said body member, means to Withdraw said tong-engaging member Within said body member, and means to support a pipe-engaging tongs at the upper end of said body member.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature this 22nd day of September, A.

WALTER C. TROUT. 

